Forced-lubrication apparatus



"May 7, '11929.

FORCED LUBRI GATION APPARATUS Filed May `1 1, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 f 1 Wl, l l

c. H. cLAusEN I 1,711,589,

M215'Y 7; T929. c. H. cLAusEN y FORCEDLUBR1CATION APPARATUS Filed May` 11, i927 2 sheets-sheet 2 ZzUeZZ ZCI- G. ff. calms@ fz' Patented May 7, 1929.k

UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFlCE,}--

CARL HERMAN eLAUsEN, or soLvEsBoRG', SWEDEN, AssIGNon To PATENTAKTIE- BonAGE'r oENrnALsMoRJNING, or soIAEsBoRe,` SWEDEN, A conrona'rroN or EOECED-LUBRICATION APPARATS.:

Application filed May 11,1927., Serial No. 190,626, and in Sweden May 19, 1926.

rlhis invention relates to f forced lubricationapparatusrofthe kind in which a single controlling Aor valve member fora number of pump pistons is arranged in central posi; tion between the pumps which are placed 1n annular ,relationship co-a-Xially around the common valve member. Apparatus of this kind have previously been provided with a valve member with solely rotating motion and provided with a cam disc for driving the pump pistons. In anotherIearlier-type therev has been arranged` centrally between the annularly Adisposed pumps a common driving member which has been vsubjected to a reciprocating motion and at the same time an oscillatory motion, the'said driving member being connected with the pump pistons by means of cranks, so that also the pistons have been subjected not onlyto a reciprocating' motion but also to an oscillatory motion, whereby they themselves have acted as valves. The forced lubrication apparatus forming the subject matter for the invention is so to sayl a compromise between the two above described types andV comprises a central member which partly serves as valve member or valve piston in the real sense of the word and partly is subjected to two motions, namely, a recipromting` mot-ion which by suitable means is transferred to the pump pistons, and ran oscillatory vmotion so as to be able to act as valve. Y

lith this lubrication apparatus according to the invention many'advantages are obtained over older apparatus ofV a similar kind, and amongst these advantages are to be mentioned i (a) In ctmiparisony with the known ytype having a valvemember with solely rotating movements the advantage is gained that the valve member according` to the' invention may be subjected toI its oscillatory motions during the intermediate periods between its reciprocating movements and vice versa, so that the suction and pressure channels will be fully opened during thewhole stroke of the pump pistons.v For this reason the said channels may be constructed with smaller dimensions than' in an apparatus having av continuously rotating valve member" and therefore the surface of tightness,'given the same dimensions for the valvemembers, will be proportionally greater, o'r if onlyy the same surface of tightness is required lthe tain, veryv small apparatus with agreat number 'of pumps. In 'addition the pump pistons are driven according to the inventionv directly by the valve member by nieansof a simple carrier disc, and therefore the icam disc hitherto used has become superfluous, so that the pumps can be placed closer together and the number of ypumps be increased."

in which the pump pistons are moved up and down and at the same time oscillated to and fro the present apparatus shows. the advantage that the connection between the'central driving member and the pump 'aistons is considerably simpler, and the pump pistons need not perform an oscillatory movement, because they are not adapted to serveithem-y selves as' valves;V Also in this case the conditions lwith respect to tightness are much more advantageous, because the `relatively small pump pistonsaccording tothe inven-l tion have only to perform their pump action, while in the older type the pump pistons can only receive a very inconsiderable oscillatory motion and therefore the conditions with respect to tightness at the pressure and suction openings kare very unsatisfactory. Itis further to be noted that inthe older type the manner of transfering motion from. the' central driving member to the pump pis tons requires with necessity a' greater space between Vthe pumps and therefore greater overall dimensions ofthe whole apparatus.

The apparatus according to the invention may be easily adjusted in ai known manner, so that the variousr pumps may be sctvso as to supply different quantities of lubricatingr oil, but in addition the invention offers the 'advantage over the prior art that the apparat'us may be taken to. pieces with great easiness, also by people not conversedfin mechanics, and the construction is such thatk the parts may be assembled again without 'difficulty and without impairing the proper function of the apparatus.

'The invention will morefully appearin the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which i Y F ig. 1 is a vertical section of the forced In comparison with the known typev The characteristic feature of the invention consists in that the operating member arranged in the centre of the pumpswhich are placed co-aXially around the said member is subjected by means of suitable mechanisms not only to an oscillatory motion (instead of to a continuously rotating one) but also to a reciprocating motion,'so thatthe said central member can by means of a simp'le carrier device directly transfer a similar reciprocating-motion to the pump pistons which however are not subjected to a rotary motion nor themselves need act as valve members. j i j j Referring tol the drawings the apparatus consists of a main structure l with a central bore in which to receive a valve piston 2, and co-aXially around the said piston, with a number of pumps having pump pistons 3. The central valve piston 2 extendsentirely throughout the central bore and beyond the same and is connected at its projecting lower end toa suitable driving mechanism to be described later on, and at its upper projecting end with a carrier ldevice for the pump pistons 3. V

The arrangement for subjecting the valve piston to the oscillatory and reciprocating motions consists in a manner known per se of a shaft t (Fig. 1) positioned substantially vertically in relation tio the longitudinal axis of the valve piston and subjected to a continuously rotary or intermittently ro'- tary motion, for instance, by means of a4 roller friction device 5 which is actuated by a lever 6. The shaft l is provided at its one end with a preferably ball shaped crank pin 7 which, also in a manner known per se, projects into vand engages with a recess 8 in a head 9 attached to the'lower end of the central valve piston. It is to be understood that the recess is substantially of the same width as the diameter of the ball shaped` crank pin 7, while in vertical direction itis considerably longer than-the said diameter, which results in that the valve piston will have periodical dead motions at the endsof its reciprocating movements but no dead motiony with respect to its oscillatory-movements. This provision has been made so as to reduce the reciprocating movement f' the piston, when it oscillates, Vor with other words to limit the recip'rocation's .to certain angles of the rotation of the crank pin and the oscillatory movements to other angles thereof. j l j To the upper en'd of the central valve piston.2 is' attached a plane and circular flange or the like, for instance a removable disc 10 which is fastened to the said piston in a suitable way such as illustrated in the drawing. Also each of the pump` pistons 8 is provided with a similar butsmaller flange l1l and further with adjustable stop members which may have the formof nuts 12, and the disc 10 is positioned with its edge between the flanges `l1 Vand the nuts 12. By this means the valve piston 2 `obviously will transfer its reciprocating movements to the pump pistons 3 by means ,of thedisc 10, and this independently of its rotary movements, and further the strokes of the pump pistons may be varied by adjusting the position of the nuts l2 in relation to the flanges 11. As each pump piston has its own adjusting device each pump may be adapted individually to supply various quantities of lubricating oilV tothe places of utilization, all in accordance with the requirements. ln theposition of the nuts as illustrated inthe drawings the pump pistons will not be ac-.

tuated and by screwing the nuts down nearer to the flange 11 the distance between the lower nut and the Yflange 11 will be reduced and thus the disc 10 may in its reciprocating movements move the pump piston.

A common oil inlet for all pumps is arranged at the upper part of the main struc- Y ture 1 and consists of a socket 13 which is in communication with an inner chamber 14 which is formed by turning down a portion of the valve piston. The recess thus formed in the valve piston has such length that the inlet is never covered by the piston. Each pump has its separate discharge` socket.V 15 and in order that the various sockets shall not be in the way for one another they are attached to the structure alternately at different level's, as shown4 in Figs. 1 and 3, the socket on the line 1f-Z9 (Fig. 2), for instance, being at a higher level than the sockets on the line c-UZ. In the example shown three sockets are in one and the same higher level and four sockets in one and the same lower level.

In spiteof these different levels for the outlets the pump pistons have all the same length, and therefore they are interchangeable. It is however to be understood that the pump pistons and their respective cylinders should be marked, in case theV pumps are adjusted, by means of the -nuts 12, to deliver different quantities of lubricating oil to the various places of utilization, so that the piston pumps, when the apparatus yis taken to pieces and re-assembled again, are placed in their proper cylinders.

j At the upper `portion of the valve piston 2 are provided grooves 1G which are in communication permanently with the chamber la and which serveas suction channels for the pumps having their outlets arranged at llO a 'higher level. Similargrooves 17 are arranged'at a lower portionof the valve piston 2 for the pumps having their outlet-s at a lower level, and these grooves 17 are in communication bymeans of radial channelsv leading to the pump-cylinders either ydil rectly for the pumps having their outlets at a higher levelv or by means of connecting channels 21 for the pumps having their outlets at a. lower level (Figs. 3 and 5).

For the last named pumps the valve piston `is further provided with grooves 23 serving as' pressure channels and similar grooves 22 are provided onthe valve piston for the first named pumps. These grooves 22 and 23 are adapted to connect at a certain angular position of the valve piston the pump channels with the outlets 15. This will make it clear that the oscillatory movements of the valve piston 2 will comprise an angle which is as great as the angular distance between a suction `channel 16 or 17 and the corresponding pressure channel 22 or 23. vAlthough this kind of va ve regulation is known in the art the invention differs from the conventional design inthat the grooves on the valve piston are placed .lternately at dilferent levels7 so that the relative reduction in overall dimensions of the valve piston, as intimated above, is rendered possible.

The pump pistons may easilyv be taken out and inserted again after removal of t-he protecting hood 241i and unscrewing the bolt which fixes the disc 1() to the valve piston 2.

To remove the falve piston 2 the shaft 41 is joui-milled in a separate casing 25 attached to the main structure 1, the casing i having a chamber 26 surrounding the driving mechanism 7, 8, 9. Access to the chamber 26 is obtained by unscrewing a screw stopper 27 1). The casing25 is fastened to the main .structure 1 by means of screws 23, the main structure being provided with a guide collar 29. Vhenit is desired to take out the valve piston, Jthe screws 28 are unf-:crewed and either the main rstructure 1 lifted up or the casing 25 is drawn down, whereby the valve piston is drawn out of the central bore, and after the collar 29 has left tho upper edge of the casing 25, the main parts may be moved laterally in relation to each other so that the ball shaped crank pin 7 can leave the recess 8, whereupon the main parts can be wholly separated and the valve piston ydrawn' out.

vWhen the apparatus is re-assembled it is impossible to place the valve piston in a wrong position, because it can be connected to the crank pin 7 in one manner only, and therefore the apparatus is fool-proofalso in this respect. Also the outlet sockets 15 are of one and the same design and therefore interchangeable.

The apparatus as a whole may of course be combined with or placed directly on an oill reservoir but it is'chieily designed to enable-the apparatus to be mounted at any desired place and the `oil reservoir at another place. Y

ln certain applications 'of the lubricating apparatus, for instance in the lubrication of automobiles in which the crank case isA provided with a larger lubricating oil reservoir from which theoil 1s pumped to certainplaces requiring lubrication and returns therefrom to the reservoir in continuous circulation., while other places of lubricationfor instance the engine cylinders-always require fresh oil, it appears preferably to combine the lubricating apparatus according to the invention with anadditional pump device, and this of a greater capacity than the apparatus. the valve piston 2 may be extended, as shown with dash-dotted lines in Fig. 3, by a piston rod connected to a ypiston 30 which reciprocates in a cylinder 31 provided with suitableinlets and outlets. Obviously the piston 30 will receive in the same'manner as the valve piston 2 both a reciprocating and an oscillatory motion, and the latter motion may be utilized for the piston 30 to serve simultaneously as valve in order to produce a valveless pump of known kind. In such a case# the pump 30, 31 may be employed for the circulation of great oil quantitiespand should therefore be designed with correspondingly greater dimensions, whileV the pumps 3 are adapted to supply fresh oil to the places requiring such renewed lubrications.

The details abo-ve described have no deciding influence upon the invention in another degree than what the function of the said details requires, and therefore they may be modified or replaced by equivalent means without departing from the main spirit of axially in relation to the central valve member, operative means for subjecting the cen- To this end the head 9 on4 l l O tral valve member partly tol reciprocating motions and partly to oscillating motions, and means for transferring the reciprocating movements of the central valve member to the pump pistons.

2. A forced lubrication apparatus, comprising a cylindrical main structure having a central bore to receive a piston like valve member which extends with both its ends beyond the main structure, the lower projecting end of the valve member in engagement with operative means for subjecting the valve member to reciprocating and oscillating motions, a number of pumps having pistons arranged in annular relationship co-axially in relation to the valve mem ber, and the upper projecting end of the valve member provided with carrier means in engagement with the pump pistons.

8. In a forced lubrication apparatus of the kind as claimed in claim 2, the carrier means constituted by a circular disc attached to the upper projecting end of the central valve member, the pump pistons. providedY with stop and carrier means arrangedin the path of the said circular disc, so that the pump pistons will be reciprocated in accordance with the reciprocations of the valve member, While the oscillating movements of the valve member are not transferred to the pump pistons.

4. A forced lubrication apparatus comprising a cylindrical main structure having a central bore to receive a piston-like valve member which extends With both its ends beyond the main structure, means engaging the lower projecting ends of the valve member for subjecting such valve member to reciprocating and oscillating` motions, a plurality of pumps having Vpistons arranged in annular relationship coaxially with the valve member, a circular disk attached to tbe upper projecting end of the valve member, and stop Aand carrier means connected with the pump pistons in the path of movement of the circular disk, said stop and carrier means being relatively adjustable in the direction of travel of the pistons for varyingthe length of stroke of the latter in the movement of the rvalve member.

5. In a forced lubrication apparatus of the kind as claimed in claim l, the operative means consisting of a driven shaft joui'- nalled substantially at right angles to the axis of the central valve member and provided at its one end with a. ball shaped crank pin in engagement with a recess in the central valve member, the recess having substantially the same Width as the diameter of the ball shaped crank pin but a greater length in vertical direction than the said diameter.

G. A forced lubrication apparatus, comprising a cylindrical 'main structure, a piston like valve member arranged centrally Within the main structure the valve member projectingat both its ends beyond the main structure, a number of pumps having pistons arranged in annular' relationship coaxially in relation to the central valve member, the upper projecting end of the valve member provided with carrier means in engagement With the pump pistons, a separate structure detachably attached to the lower end of the main structure and provided with operative means in engagement with the central valve member for subjecting the latter to reciprocating and oscillating mot-ions.

7. A forced lubrication apparatus, comprising a cylindrical main structure, a piston like valve member arranged centralljT Within the main structure, a number of pumps having pistons arranged in annular relationship co-axially in relation to the central valve member, operative means for subjecting the valve member to reciprocating and oscillating motions, carrier means on the valve member and in engagenientV with the pump pistons for subjecting the latter to reciprocating motions only, -a common inlet for all pumps, separate outlets for each pump, the inlet in communication with the various pumps by means of suction channel mea-ns on the valve member and the out-lets in communication with the various pumps by means of pressure channel means on the valve member.

8. In a forced lubrication apparatus of the kind as claimed in claim 7, in which the outlets for the various pumps arranged at the same level are alternately at different levels on the main structure.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

j CARL HERMAN CLAUSEN. 

